Clasp for bandages



K. MAHLMANN ETAL 3,307,233

March 7, 17

CLASP FOR BANDAGES 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Dec. 1, 1964 Fig.7

I N M ui E n r ELL. 1 v WHM In, J m w w D w 5L n v H H w M .M KE v w my q v q a I y March 1967 K MAHLMANN ETAL 3,307,233

CLASP FOR BANDAGES Filed Dec. 1, 1964 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 25 F ig. 6

vinvemr: KLHU5 MHHMHN/V E W 91.0 56HH'FER B7 MM W94 W March 7, 1

K. MAHLMANN ETAL 3,307,233

CLASP FOR BANDAGES Filed Dec. 1, 1964 3 Sheets-Sheet 5 inveni'r: KLHL/S MHHQMANN (A EWHLD SCHF'JFER W M I United States Patent 'Ofifice 3,307,233 Patented Mar. 7, 1967 3,307,233 CLASP FOR BANDAGES Klaus Miihlmann and Ewald Schiifer, Wolfstein, Rhenish Palatinate, Germany, assignors to Karl Otto Braun, K.G., Wolfstein, Rheuish Palatinate, Germany Filed Dec. 1, 1964, Ser. No. 415,001 Claims priority, application Germany, Dec. 7, 1963,

- B 74,571; Jan. 29, 1964, B 56,115

Claims. (CI. 24-87) Among the known appliances used for fastening bandages, there are clasps the application of which replaces the fastening of bandage ends by knots or by agglutination of the bandage edges. Those claspsparticularly when they have been used repeatedlytend to fall ofi at places where the stress is great, and to get lost. It is true that the clasps, when applied to the bandages, will render it possible to fasten bandages wound in any suitable direction but the points of the clasps, when bent up for use, will frequently cause injuries. If a clasp is firmly attached to one end of the bandage, it can only be used in one special direction in which the bandage is bound.

In contradistinction, the present invention is based on the problem of providing a clasp for bandages which may be used as an eificient means of fastening the bandage either alone or firmly attached to one end of the bandage. In order to solve this problem according to the present invention, a clasp comprising a blank having at least one opening and a triangular spike in the opening, the spike being positioned at the edge of the blank and pointing away from the said edge, is produced in such a manner that the blank and/or spike are made of elastic, flexible material and that the spike is movable out of the opening to either side.

In order to enable the spike profiles to be moved readily out of the plane of the blank, the marginal section of the blank which is in connection with the spike profile or profiles respectively, is adapted to serve as a handle, the zone through which the bending line passes being preformed by weakening the material, or by inserting profiles, undercuttings, or the like.

According to another feature of the invention, a pivoting twin spike profile having triangular spikes is provided in the blank in a recess of suitable outline, the bases of the spikes being joined by a pivot seated in the blank. The points of the triangles of the twin spikes are positioned at an angle to each other, the distance between the two triangle points being greater than the thickness of the blank wall.

The upper and lower surfaces of the blank have each one recess corresponding to the shape of the spike profile so that the point of the one spike profile will settle in the proper recess when the point of the other triangular spike profile is moved out of the blank plane.

Another embodimentof the invention relates to a clasp for bandages comprising a sheetlike blank formed out of two semi-circular loops positioned opposite to each other, the free ends of which are connected by means of a crosspiece carrying elastic spike profiles, the loops having chamfered edges towards the inside and being folded upon each other and punched into the bandage material to fasten the clasp to one end of the bandage.

According to another embodiment of the invention, a clasp for bandages comprises a blank which has approximately the shape of a double T and is foldable along the longitudinal axis thereof, at least one spike profile of elastic flexible material being attached to the crosspiece of the blank, while the flanges of the foldable blank have fastening means for joining the clasp to the edge of the bandage.

The materials used for the clasp blanks and/or spike profiles are elastic or flexible metals or elastic plastics.

The drawing demonstrates, by 'way of example, some embodiments of the invention in which FIGURE 1 shows a top view of a clasp for bandages comprising two triangular pointed spike profiles and an edge serving as a handle.

FIGURES 2 and 3 show a section along the line IIII in FIGURE 1, with the edge serving as a handle bent off and spike profiles moved out of the level of the crosspiece of the clasp.

FIGURE 4 shows another embodiment of a clasp for bandages having a spike profile pivoting in the clasp blank.

FIGURE 5 shows a section along the line VV in FIGURE 4.

FIGURE 6 shows a horse shoe-shaped clasp in the form of a loop with two spike profiles in plan view.

FIGURE 7 represents a further embodiment of a clasp comprising two semi-circular loop-s with one spike profile, in a top view.

FIGURE 8 shows a diagram of a bandage clasp of the type shown in FIGURE 7 ready for being fastened to one end of a bandage.

FIGURE 9 shows a bandage end ready to receive the clasp shown in FIGURE 8 for fastening, and

FIGURE 10 shows a top view of a clasp fastened to one end of a bandage.

FIGURE 11 is a section along the line XIXI in FIG- URE 10.

FIGURE 12 shows a top view of two spike profiles facing each other.

FIGURE 13 shows a top view of a blank having the shape of a double T.

FIGURE 14 shows the clasp ready for being fastened to one end of a bandage.

FIGURE 15 shows a bandage end ready to receive the clasp shown in FIGURE 14 for fastening, and

FIGURE 16 shows diagrams of one end of a bandage with a clasp locked into it.

In the clasps for bandages shown in the drawing and which are attached to one end of a bandage, as e.g. an elastic bandage or the like, the bandage is referred to as 1 10. The bandage clasps shown in FIGURES 1, 4, 6, and

12 may be joined to the end of bandages by means of riveting, sealing agglutination, or beading.

According to FIGURE 1, a bandage clasp 11 comprises a sheet-like blank 12 of flexible, elastic material, such as spring steel, plastics, or the like, and has two pointed triangular spike profiles 14, 15 for which openings have been left in the blank 12, the bases of the said triangles being connected with the edge of the blank 12 which should preferably be in the form of a grasp or handle 13. If spring steel is used for the blank, the spike profiles 14, 15 should preferably be punched out of the blank '12, while, if plastics are used as clasp material, the spike profiles 14, 15 are die-cast, together with the blank. The spaces thus produced which ensure the free movability of the spike profiles 14, 15 are referred to as 16, 17. The grasping edge 13 may be in the form of a reinforced padding to facilitate handling and enable the safe grasping of the clasp. The line along which the handle 13 can be bent 015? is marked by a broken line in FIGURE 1.

There may be any number of triangular spike profiles 14, 15. ever, depend on the width of the blank 12 and on the type of bandage to be employed. The spike profiles 14, 15 may be provided both beside one another on one end of the blank and at both ends of the blank, as shown in FIGURE 12 of the drawing.

According to FIGURE 12, openings to receive two:

triangular spike profiles 21, 22 are so provided in the blank 20 that the points of the triangles face each other.

How many the manufacturer inserts, will, how-,

The bases of the spike profiles 21, 22 extend into the marginal zones which are adapted to serve as handles 23, 24, the edge zone 23 being adapted to provide means for joining the clasp to one end of a bandage. However, the bandage clasp may also be made of a loop-shaped blank as shown in FIGURE 6. In that case the blank 25 should preferably be shaped as a horse-shoe loop whose free ends 25', 25" are connected with each other through a crosspiece'26 reinforced by a padding at 27 for attachments to one end of a bandage. The section of the loop opposite to the crosspiece 26 has two triangular spike profiles 28, 29, the bases of which extend into the edge zone which serves as a handle.

As may be seen from FIGURES 1, 6, and 12, the triangular spike profiles are level with the clasp blank when the clasps 11, 25, and 20 are not used. When a bandage is applied and it is desired to fasten the end of the bandage with the clasp, the'edge zone which has the form of, and serves as, a handle and which is in connection with the bases of the spike profiles is slightly bent upwards or downwards, as the case demands, as a result of which the spike profiles are moved out of the blank plane (FIGURES 2 and 3). In order to enable the spike profiles to be hooked into the lower lap of the bandage, the clasp 11 is pulled in the direction of the arrow X whereupon the spike profiles can be hooked into the bandage (FIGURE 1). Thus, the end of the bandage is properly secured in position. Since, owing to the clasticity of the material used for the bandage clasp, the spike profiles 14, 15 can be moved out of the plane of the blank in any direction desired or required by actuating the handle 13 of the clasp 11, it is no longer necessary, during the application of a bandage, and particularly during the last turn, to pay attention to the eventual position of the surface of the bandage with the clasp and of the downwardly directed spike profiles.

When releasing the bandage, the spike profiles 14, 15 or the spike profiles of the clasps 20, 25 are merely drawn out of the bandage fabric in the direction of the arrow -X (FIGURE 1). No bending back of either the grasping edge 13 or the spike profiles 14, 15 is required, since the elasticity of the blank 11 causes the grasping edge 13 to go back to its starting position, at the same time returning the spike profiles 14, 15 into the recesses 16, 17 in the blank 12. Then the bandage may be rolled up. Thereare no protrudinghooksthat might destroy the fabric of the bandage. a. r i

According to another embodiment, as shown in FIG- URES 4 and 5, a bandage clasp 30 comprises a sheetlike blank 31 which may e.g. be made of elastic plastics or the like. -The blank 31 has an opening 32 for receiving a twin spike profile with the points 33, 34. The spike profiles also have the form of acute triangles, the bases of which come together in a pivot 35 whose bearing restsin the side walls of the opening 32 in the blank 31.

The points of the triangles of the two spike profiles 33,

34 are positioned at an angle to each other, the distance between the two points being greater than the width of the Wall of the blank 31. This arrangement of the two. spike profiles 33, 34 enables the raising of one of the two spike profiles from the level of the base, while the other spike profile is flush with the opening provided in the blank. As FIGURE shows, the spike profile 34 is raised to catch the fabric of the bandage. The other spike profile 33 is protected in a recess 37. 'If, on the other hand, the spike profile 33 is moved into a position to engage with the bandage, the spike profile 34 will pass into therecess 36. The outline of the recesses 36, 37 corresponds to"the'shape of the spike profile and the recesses communicate with the opening 32. Another possibilityi'sthat the bases joined in the pivots 35 of the spike profiles 33, 34 may bein connection with the edge zone 38 of the blank 31.

In the embodiment shown in FIGURES 7-11 a clasp 50 for bandages comprises two semi-circular loops 51,

52 confronting each other and the free ends 53, 54 and 55, 56 of which are connected with each other by means of a crosspiece 57. The crosspiece 57 carries a pointed triangular spike profile 58 which may e.g. be punched out of a blank together with the loops 51, 52 (FIGURE 7). However, the spike profile 58 may also be separately added to the crosspiece 57 after the making of the blank 51, 52, 57, then to be subjected to a suitable treatment so as to give the spike profile elastic properties. Still another possibility is to make the spike profile 58 separately, for example of spring steel, then fastening it to the crosspiece 57 of the blank. Along the inner surfaces of the loop, the blank 51, 52, 57 has chamfered edges referred to .as 51', 52' (FIGURES 8 and 11).

The clasp 50 may be fastened to e.g. a bandage 10 in such a manner that the two loop-shaped sections of the clasp are folded upon each other with formation of an acute angle (FIGURE 8). Into the clasp thus preformed is introduced the tail of the bandage which has a recess 59 whose outline corresponds approximately to the shape of the folded blank. The clasp 50 which isplaced upon the end of the bandage is then punched into the bandage material to form a cha-mferred eye (FIGURE 10).

During the process of fastening the clasp 50 to the end of the bandage, the spike profile is so bent off as to be positioned in the middle of the blank plane (FIG- URE 11), unless it had been bent accordingly during the production of the blank already. Slight pressure as eg by a thumb or thumbnail, can easily move the spike profile 58 out of hte plane of the blank to cit-her one side or the other. The protruding spike profile 58 is then hooked into the lower lap of the bandage. When the clasp is released, the spike profile 58 will jerk back into its starting position due to its elasticity and/or springing properties.

According to another embodiment of the invention, a clasp according to FIGURE 13 comprises a blank having approximately the shape of a double T of flexible elastic material, such as spring steel, plastics and the like, the flanges of the blank being referred to as 61, 6'2, 63, 64, while the crosspiece carrying the flanges is referred to as 65. The flanges 61-64 are preferably broader at their free ends and carry fastening means, as e.g. little hooks, or the like, 66, to fasten the clasp at the edge of a bandage. However, the edges. of the blank 60 may also be unilaterally bent insidewithin the fastening range, and may be in the form of holding beads.

Added to the crosspiece 65 of the blank 60 is a spike profile 67 which has the shape of an acute triangle and is capable of being moved out of the blank plane towards both sides, the said spike being e.g. punched out together with the blank 60, during production, or being separately added to the crosspiece 65 after the making of the blank.

Any desired number of spike profiles may be attached to the crosspiece 65. How many, will depend on the breadth of theblank 60 oron the length of the crosspiece 65 respectively, and on the type of bandage used in the individual case.

The clasp'is fastened. e-,g. to an elastic bandage 68 in such a manner that the double T-shaped blank 60 is folded along its longitudinal axis to form a U-shaped profile (FIGURE 14). The clasp thus prepared is then placed upon the edge of the bandage in the range of a semi-circular opening 69 punched into the end of the bandage. Then the two U-shaped halves of the blank are compressed (FIGURES l5 and 16). The fastening hooks 66 of the flanges 61 to 64 are simultaneously pressed into the fabric of the bandage so as to ensure the safe fastening of the clasp at the end of the bandage. If the clasp is fastened to the edge of the bandage e.g. by beads, an area approximately corresponding to the outline of the recess 69 is punched out of the fabric of the bandage during the fastening process.

While the clasp is fastened to the edge of the bandage,

the spike profile 67 is simultaneously so bent as to be flush with the plane of the bandage. Slight pressure can readily move the spike profile out of the blank plane to either one side or the other. The spike profile 65 thus produced is then hooked into the lower lap of the bandage, With simultaneous stretching of the bandage.

The clasp of the present invention has the advantage that, due to the possibility of moving the spike profiles out of the plane of the clasp blank to either one side or the other, as desired, the bandage may be wound in both directions, and safely fastened at the end. The points of the spike profiles may be readily moved out of, or-in the case of non-use-into, the plane of the clasp blank by means of the blank edge which is in connection with the bases of the triangular spike profiles and which should preferably be in the form of a handle and all this-is solely due to the fact that the blank or spike profile respectively, is made of elastic material. The points of the spike profiles are automatically returned into the plane of the blank so that no injuries can occur as a result of a lack of attention during bandaging and damage sustained during the washing of the bandage. A safe fastening of the end of the bandage is ensured even after repeated use of the clasp.

The clasps shown in FIGURES 1 to 6 and 12 are firmly joined to a bandage but this does not exclude the possibility of using them loose. If the latter case arises, the clasps should preferably be provided with spike profiles on both ends.

The shape of a clasp blank as shown in FIGURES 7 and 8 enables the fastening of the clasp which has been folded in a shell-like manner by punching it into the fabric of the bandage. The elastic spike profile may also be easily bent out of the blank plane to assume the position necessary for the hooking of the clasp into the bandage.

The clasp blank which has approximately the shape of a double T as shown in FIGURES 13 and 14 may be replaced by other profiles of oval or rectangular outline. The same applies to the fastening means 66. These may include both individual hooks and twin braces, eye joints,

etc. a

What we claim is:

1. A clasp for bandages comprising a blank having at least one opening and, in the opening, a triangular spike attached to, and pointing away from, the edge of the blank, characterized in that the blank and spike may be moved out of the opening to both sides, said blank having two semi-circular loops positioned opposite to each other and connected with each other, on the free ends thereof, by a crosspiece carrying a triangular elastic spike profile, the loops having edges chamfered towards the inside for being punched into the fabric of the bandage, the loops being folded upon each other prior to punching.

2. A clasp for bandages comprising a blank having at least one opening and, in the opening, a triangular spike attached to, and pointing away from, the edge of the blank, characterized in that the blank and spike are made of elastic flexible material and that the spike may be moved out of the opening to both sides, characterized by the fact that in a recess of suitable profile in the blank a pivotable twin spike profile having triangular spikes is provided, the bases of the triangles being joined by a pivot seated in the blank, while the points of the spikes are arranged at an angle to each other and at a distance which is greater than the width of the blank walls.

3. A clasp for bandages comprising blank having at least one opening and, in the opening, a triangular spike attached to, and pointing away from, the edge of the blank, characterized in that the blank and spike may be moved out of the opening to both sides, characterized by the fact that on the upper and lower surfaces of the blank recesses are provided adjacent to the opening the shape of the recesses corresponding to the shape of the spike profiles, the twin spike profile being movable so that at any time one point will protrude from the blank plane to the one side for fastening, while the other point of the profile settles in the recess provided therefore, or vice versa.

4. A clasp for bandages comprising a blank having at least one opening and, in the opening, a triangular spike attached to, and pointing away from the edge of the blank, characterized in that the blank and spike are made of elastic flexible material and that the spike may be moved out of the opening to both sides, comprising a blank foldable along its longitudinal axis and which has approximately the shape of a double T, and t0 the crosspiece of which at least one spike profile is attached, the flanges of the foldable blank carrying fastening means for joining the clasp to the edge of the bandage.

5. A clasp for bandages comprising a blank having at least one opening and, in the opening, a triangular spike attached to, and pointing away from, the edge of the blank, said blank and said spike being made of elastic flexible material, said spike being movable out of the opening to both sides, said blank being foldable along its longitudinal axis and having approximately the shape of a double T and having a crosspiece to which at least one spike profile is attached, said blank having flanges carrying fastening means for joining the clasp to the edge of the bandage, said flanges having free ends which are broader than the remaining portions thereof.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 249,659 11/1881 Moore 24-150 463,985 11/1891 Freese 24-87 XR 489,702 1/ 1893 Adams.

992,362 5/1911 Kintz 24-87 1,691,810 11/1928 Itzerott 24-87 FOREIGN PATENTS 650,783 10/ 1928 France.

813,258 9/1951 Germany.

411,701 5/1945 Italy.

WILLIAM FELDMAN, Primary Examiner.

DONALD A. GRIFFIN, Examiner. 

1. A CLASP FOR BANDAGES COMPRISING A BLANK HAVING AT LEAST ONE OPENING AND, IN THE OPENING, A TRIANGULAR SPIKE ATTACHED TO, AND POINTING AWAY FROM, THE EDGE OF THE BLANK, CHARACTERIZED IN THAT THE BLANK AND SPIKE MAY BE MOVED OUT OF THE OPENING TO BOTH SIDES, SAID BLANK HAVING TWO SEMI-CIRCULAR LOOPS POSITIONED OPPOSITE TO EACH OTHER AND CONNECTED WITH EACH OTHER, ON THE FREE ENDS THEREOF, BY A CROSSPIECE CARRYING A TRIANGULAR ELASTIC SPIKE PROFILE, THE LOOPS HAVING EDGES CHAMFERED TOWARDS THE INSIDE FOR BEING PUNCHED INTO THE FABRIC OF THE BANDAGE, THE LOOPS BEING FOLDED UPON EACH OTHER PRIOR TO PUNCHING. 